Albania? No, Jordan, Alicante... We're in Spain!

Ah! What a perfect weekend in Alicante. It was just what I needed in terms of relaxing and sleeping. My computer has decided to no longer connect to the Internet so I will only be able to post when one is available for me to use. Brother, I may need your help figuring out what is wrong with it. So, while Tori is allowing me to borrow her laptop, let me tell you about my beach vacation...

I wrote Thursday night that we walked out of our hotel down to the beach, which was more like a jetty. So Friday morning we woke up around 9am (two hours later than usual which was wonderful) and headed out in search of the sand. Our hotel was connected to a "supermercado" that ended up being our "Wal-Mart" for the weekend. (MumMum, it was kind of like Papa's Torr's!) We went in together on an ice chest, powerades, fruit and sandwich groceries and hauled it all down to the beach. We were lucky find the true sandy beach within 5 minutes walking. I absolutely enjoy the spontaneity of this journey. We did not know where the beach was. We had no idea how much sand Alicante had. Actually, we were not even sure how to pronounce the name until Saturday! But again, an address and an open mind is all you need. right? We bought a baguette, ham, cheese, and mustard, trusting that even if we had to eat it on the side of the road, it would still be a great lunch. But again, The Lord has blessed this experience with such beauty. Look at the gorgeous beach we discovered! It was absolutely perfect. And that sandwich was killer too!

After feeling the effects of being much closer to the equator, we shook off our towels and headed back to our swanky Albahia Hotel to shower and dress for dinner. We, like any group of girls at the beach, of course went down to take pictures with the boulders of Alicante (I would love to see a group of guys taking pics at the beach all dressed up... yeah right). And afterwards jumped on the bus to find shopping and food. We did the same on Saturday, just applied more sunblock.

Alicante ended up being an adorable city. It was the perfect size. Everything was within walking distance and we were cushioned between Spanish mountains and the Mediterranean Sea. I do not think we could have chosen a better free weekend destination. After we split the hotel 5 ways, we each paid 68 euros for 3 nights. I think it was a pretty inexpensive trip.

Our train left for Madrid this afternoon at 12pm. Knowing we were only 5 minutes from the train station, we checked out of our hotel at 11am and headed up the mountain for the bus stop. The girls began to worry when after 15 minutes, the bus had not come. We then learned that on Sundays, the bus only runs every half hour. We ended up making it to our train but the rush involved running across streets without cross-walks, luggage in hand, lots of sprinting, yelling, and laughing. The train doors shut 2 minutes before departure. Good thing we made it at 11:57!

One of the best parts of this weekend was coming "home" today to Teresa's. She had dinner waiting for us. That part was awesome because we had not eaten anything expect a croissant all day when we arrived home at 5:30pm. Dinner was sooooo delicious. Paneed chicken in tri-colored pasta with tomato sauce, salad, bread, and chocolate mousse for dessert. She was out with a friend for all of the day so we heated the food ourselves. Afterward, I washed dishes!!!! Why am I so happy about that? Because it felt like home! I guess using a sink, liquid soap, and a sponge has more sentimental power than one realizes. It was also great to eat earlier than usual. It allowed me time to catch up on facebook messages after dinner and then spend an hour in the park. Today was the best run I've had yet in Spain. I followed the gate along the perimeter of the park and it took me 30 minutes to make it all the way around. It's huge! I love it.

We are unpacking our beach bags now and trying to write the three page paper we have due on Tuesday. We also have the mid-term exam on Tuesday so the next 36 hours will be all Espanol parami. My instructor asked me to start blogging in Spanish, but I thought mom and dad may not read it then. I am still unsure where I will travel to this weekend. My two options right now are staying in Madrid to do something cool like horseback riding (I could stay in the park all weekend and be happy!) or traveling to Grenada with a group of students. I better decide soon!

Here are the top things I miss (things, not people. I miss all my American people...):
- Crescent City
-Purple Parrot
-ICE (Europe kicks America's tail when it comes to being resourceful and not wasting energy, so I would not expect them to have ice makers... but why not find a porous surface to fill with water and place in freezer? I really don't mind drinking water without ice. That's no problem. It's just when I think about Crystal Light or a 2 liter diet coke with ice that I long for The States.)
-American movies. Not that I watch that many, but I would love to right now.
-Coffee in the mornings. Teresa makes a full pot at night and then heats a cup up in the microwave. I am still very thankful for it though!
-Honey mustard. Not sure what I want to eat it on, but I want it!
-Crossfit workouts... even though the park is amazing.
-Mexican restaurants and their chips and salsa that never end.
-Only having to plug an electronic device into one outlet, rather than finding an adapter, converter, and sometime prong extender just to charge a camera battery.

Here are the things I do not miss:
-Driving. I love not having a car and getting everywhere I need to go via public transit or my own two feet. Sometimes I think that is how we were meant to live. You feel much more connected to the community when you walk through it everyday as opposed to speed through it at 55mph. Okay Dad, you can sell it. :)
-Lack of recycling. Spain does it well!
-TIPPING! Sorry servers, but when the menu price of the meal is 10.50... all you have to pay is 10.50. It is awesome to not have to factor in other costs. Tax is included so the price on the tag is all you pay. Its actually considered insulting to leave a tip.
-Filling up at a gas station.
-Hattiesburg humidity. Somehow the weather here is perfect; I never sweat (ha) and its always the perfect temperature.

That's it. I like Spain. I love Hattiesburg, MS. I think it is important to appreciate both. I better get on that paper now... or at least decide on a topic! I'll leave you with a funny quote a friend said the other night. In a conversation about one of our professors, someone mentioned that he has a girlfriend. I said, "Yes, I think he said she's from Venezuela." Jordan replies, "He does look like he'd date an Asian."

Ha ha. I told her I would never let her live that down. We're working on Spanish and geography.

I hope your week is full of coffee in the morning, honey mustard, ice in your glasses, and maybe even a meal at Crescent City. (Michael did not ask me to plug that.) Thanks again for caring what I'm up to. God has answered every prayer and continues to

surround me in everyday moments.

Twenty nine more days...

With an address and an open mind...

Why go to a major city on your free travel weekend when you can venture off the path to a random place you know nothing about?  Welcome to Alicante, Spain.  

Four friends and I wanted a relaxing weekend at the beach.  We also wanted to save money.  After asking around, Valencia (2nd largest city in Spain) seemed like a fabulous idea.  We were further advised to 

move south down the east coast to Alicante, a small sea side town known for its piella and fresh fruit... if it's known at all.  

We bought train tickets and found a cheap hotel online.  This morning we packed swimsuits, towels, a change of clothes, and our passports to board the train after class.  We knew nothing about Alicante, only had heard it had a beach.  So while other classmates headed to Switzerland, Rome, or Paris, all aboard for Alicante!

I had never ridden a train before.  I'm a fan.  How much easier it is than flying!  And more comfortable too.  The train ride was 4 hours, but felt more like 2.  We deboarded the train in Alicante at 8pm with only a hotel address and an open mind.  What more did we need?  Caught a very inexpensive cab to the Albahia Hotel Alicante, checked into our rooms, and celebrated the feeling of such freedom.  We have an incredible view of the sea from our room... but are still looking for the beach!  Unfortunately, our hotel is on a rocky part of the beach.  Looks more like Destin's jetty than even the MS gulf coast.  There is no sand.  But we found a great restaurant to share dinner at and the servers told us we are only a 5 minute walk away from the sandy part of Alicante's coast.  Therefore, 9am tomorrow morning we'll be off to the market to buy fruit/snacks for lunch and head to the sand.  I expect a fabulous tan.

When we told our new host-mom, Teresa, goodbye this morning she pinched and kissed our cheeks and hugged us goodbye.  Her warmth is much appreciated.  I think she wants to adopt Jordan.  This morning she put Jordan's face in her hands and said, in her broken English, "Good bye, my baby."  PRECIOUS.

It feels pretty good to be able to navigate around a foreign city with such limited understanding of the native language and local dialects.  I will miss being able to feel so far away on weekends via just a 4 hour train ride.  So i guess that means I shall enjoy this experience all the more.

Next Tuesday along with our test, we have a 3 page paper (in Spanish, of course) due.  It can be on any topic related to our observations/experiences in Spain.  I think I will write notes on gender issues in femininity in Spanish women (and send it to my sociology professors, too!).  I had a conversation with Teresa about how strong the Spanish women's personalities sometimes are.  She discussed how many people believe this to be true because of the responsibility and demand for leadership placed on women after the country was torn by war.  Men being away from the home, and many families left widowed, women began to take on stronger roles.  I guess this happens in most war-torn societies, yet I wonder how the trend is retained differently in various countries.  Sounds like a cool topic, huh?  it would to Goffman, Perkins-Gilman, and Dr. Miller at Southern Miss.

I hope to lay on the beach all day tomorrow.  We are thrilled to not set our alarms for 7am like every other day.  I feel pretty spoiled here... except that there are 5 of us so I'm sleeping on the floor.  No worries, I bought that yoga mat that I use in the park for 7 euros and it will serve me well.

What a great weekend!

What's going on in Hattiesburg?

Michael, 

I am trusting my cape.  ;)  

(silly picture, but it made me think of the song.)

The grass IS greener...

I know, I know. I have been a blog-posting slacker! But the past few days have passed so quickly. Does life continue to move exponentially faster every day? Because I need it to slow down.

Biggest news: WE MOVED HOUSES!.... AND WE LOVE OUR NEW CASERA. Change is a very good thing. We took a risk in moving homes, and God worked everything out for a better situation than we could have imagined. I am very thankful.
I never wrote really of my experience at the former home. I just told you that her name was Tania and we lived with 13 other people. So before I give details of just how wonderful our new home is, allow me to cast a picture of what we´ve come from...
I, trying to be an optimist, never admitted that it was uncomfortable (also in part because I did not know what was normal for students studying abroad). Yet, this case is perfect evidence of when it´s okay to admit you got the shaft. Nine girls shared a bathroom. My roommate and I could not stand between our beds at the same time, and our twin beds were against the wall. There was no living room, dining room, or den. We were not allowed to visit with the other students in their rooms. Girls could never use the boys´bathroom, even in an emergency. (One time Tori was using the restroom and Tania burst open the door screaming for her to get out... she couldn´t exactly just leave in that moment.) Also, did you notice I never mentioned the food at Tania´s? I ALWAYS talk about food! It was awful. Jordan did not eat dinner for 5 days, ha. Furthermore, Tania lied to us on several occasions. She said it was not her job to provide us towels (those things are expensive when you do not know where to shop on your first night in Madrid but have been on a plane for 10 hours and long for a shower) and also told us the school policy said we had to pay her 20€ ($30/month) for internet...LIE. It smelled terrible in the home and she was very pushy. VERY pushy. None of us were comfortable.

Dr. Sanchez (program coordinator, Southern Miss faculty) asked us how we were enjoying our home. We mentioned a few details and he was quite angered. He is such a kind-hearted man (from Spain) who truly wants every student to enjoy her experience. And within 30 minutes he had found us a new home! We had to rush home, pack our bags and leave. The school told Tania that she was not allowed to host students anymore and that our driver would be at her door within a few hours. She was furious and those last few minutes packing were quite uncomfortable. Thrilled when the van finally arrive, we felt like DHS came to pick us up!

And the grass is MUCH greener on the other side of Madrid! Our new home: a 67 year old lady (who looks 50!) named Teresa. She lives alone in a gorgeous home on the 9th floor of this beautiful building. We have an incredible view of Madrid and plenty of space! Her mother lived with her but was recently moved to a nursing home. She has one son and two grandchildren. Teresa is classy, kind, and a fantastic cook! She takes pride in hosting and that makes such a difference. The three of us are all in one room and I have more space to place my belongings than I know what to do with. It really is wonderful. She serves us a great dinner each night. First, we always have delicious soup. Secondly, homeade deliciousness. And third, dessert! Oh, and the best part is, she makes American coffee in the morning! She too finds the coffee here too strong. We are pretty much best friends! Tuesday morning I had a cup of coffee when I woke up and it was the first day I stayed awake the entire time in my four hour class. If you know me, you know how amazing that is! We are very, very happy.

If there were a drawback, it would be that the house is significantly farther away from our school. But Í´ll make the sacrifice because... gues what! There is an even BIGGER and BETTER park next to me! I pretty much lived in the previous one and I will spend every moment possible in this one, El Parque de Retiro. I am not sure how large it is, but larger than our Southern Miss campus. It has a lake with row boats within the park! There are multiple playgrounds for children and fitness equipment for adults. Bird sanctuaries, a massive rose garden, temples, festivals, etc. I ran today in it for half an hour and did not even see a third of the space. I am looking forward to exploring the rest.
School continues to be challenging... but of course I enjoy that. Our first test is Tuesday, we´ll review on Monday. I think I will do well. Four of my classmates and I are headed to Alicante (a city near Valencia) for Thursday thru Sunday. We are stoked! We will ride a train and found a great hotel only meters from the shoreline. I am looking forward to sleeping in and laying around for a few days. I think I´ll learn Spanish much easier in the sand, right?

We will be safe and wise. Actually, that is the reason I am not going to Morocco. I had my heart set on visiting Africa, since Tangier and Spain are only 9 miles apart. However, after asking the locals for their advice on visiting Morocca their response quickly changed my mind. They pointed to my hair and said, ´´you will be changed for camel.´´ Point taken. Plans cancelled.

Also, things have been much better with our teacher, Lorena. I truly enjoy class. Poor Lorena has both Jordan Hahn and me in class. We are such clowns and I know she wants to tape our mouths shut. How is it that I still talk so much when I do not even know how to speak the language?
Oh, I almost forgot! I went to a bullfight Monday night! Yes, the ultimate expression of Spain´s heritage (and the equivalent to American football, or maybe WWF, ha). The ´´stadium´´ was built in the early part of the twentieth century and the ´´pregame´´ atmosphere was incredible. Felt just like a professional sporting event. We were so excited and everyone´s energy was high... and then the bull came out, was brutally stabbed multiples times, vomitted blood, guts hanging out as the audience applauded and I cried my eyes out. I HATED IT. I knew going into it that I would feel that way, but I wanted to give the experience a chance. It was disgusting. I get sick thinking of it. I do, however, enjoy the sociological analysis of why this is entertainment, but it is not enough to take away the naseau. I would not ever wish for a human to be harmed, but there is not doubt about it... I was cheering for that bull. Humans: 6, Bulls: 0.  Renee said, ´´ya know, you would think one day those bulls would realize what´s going on. I mean, do they not think, ´Hey, Bernardo never came back. ´´´ We laughed in agreement. I kept wondering what my Papa would think. Probably that it is a waste of money and that bulls were meant for eating, not killing for entertainment. I would agree.

My laptop decided it did not want to connect to the internet anymore (so frustrating!) so I am using Teresa`s computer. Therefore, I can not post pictures until later. Know that I am perfectly safe, happy, and very, VERY thankful for this experience. My mind is constantly processing life in Madrid and I will have stories to tell for years. Thank you for taking the time to listen to some of them tonight.

God´s grace and be with you.

and much love from Madrid...

Barcelona for the weekend?

Well I am back in Tania's house in Madrid. This may be our last night here. The school has discussed moving us tomorrow because they are very upset with some of her rules. We would not mind moving at all. We did return tonight to all clean and ironed clothes. That was very nice!

So I have MANY stories to tell from the past few days. I really have not gone into any detail since Wednesday. Here is what we are missing: Thursday was a fireworks show between our terrible class experience and an all night party. Friday there was not much to say except that I slept 8 hours on the charter bus floor as we drove to Barcelona. Saturday was exhausted with city tours and the best lunch yet. And today before we headed back to Madrid, we spent a few hours at the beach of Barcelona. I got some sun and great rest in the pebble-like Mediterranean sand. So here are the details:

THURSDAY'S CLASS FALL-OUT: I am not sure why, because every day before had been pretty smooth, but Thursday's class left a few of us in tears. For some reason, 5 minutes in to the class I was fighting back tears with a knot in my throat and was convinced that I was going to be moved to a lower level class. I thought it was only me that felt as though we were pre-schoolers learning quantum physics, and I was completely lost! The teacher kept asking me what my problem was and I told her I didn't understand in every way possible. It got to that awful point that I couldn't make eye contact with her or the tears would fall. Unfortunately, when she finally put the marker down and asked the entire class (not just me) what was going on, I realized it was because Nicole's tears had already poured out. We concluded that the problem was that we needed her to slow down, to allow us to explain things to one another in English occasionally, and for her to tell us what we were learning (i.e. "today we will study the infinitive form of irregular verbs to be used when...."). We were lost, frustrated, overwhelmed, and very discouraged. She was not very sympathetic. Instead, saying things like "I mean, do ya'll want a new teacher, because I can quit. Obviously I am not teaching you anything, so that's fine; I'll just find another job." I am concluding that Spanish women have a tremendous amount of pride and believe that our confusion was a blow to Lorena's pride in her work.

After class, we talked about the issue with our Southern Miss professors. They agreed to meet with us after class for lunch or Tapas in the afternoon and review each day's lesson. By Friday we all felt much more encouraged. Todo esta bien.

THURSDAY AT CLUB KAPITAL: Oh. My. Gosh. I had heard that the Spanish party hard, but I underestimated them. Our roommate, Darius from Chicago, works at Club Kapital here in Madrid. Jordan and some other girls from class really wanted to experience the real nightlife of Madrid so several members of our group decided to meet at Club Kapital at 12:30am (remember, dinner isn't even until 9pm) since Darius had free entrance passes for us. Kapital is 7 stories of awesomeness. The floors include balconies, a movie theatre, a karaoke bar, 3 different dance floors, and the penthouse which is a Mediterranean themed bar without a ceiling, lots of flowing sheer fabrics, lounge furniture, fountains, plants, and beautiful columns. The ambiance is great. I dance and laughed and took more pictures in one night at Club Kapital than I have all trip. It was a blast. Everyone relaxed a little after a week of tension from adjusting to Spain. We had so much fun... and didn't make it home until 5:30am! But we did make it to class in plenty of time... even had completed assignments to turn in. And some how, after only 2 hours of sleep, Friday was the one day I did not fall asleep in class! Lorena (teacher who threatened to quit the day before) was in a much better mood. No one cried Friday morning... instead we laughed a lot; mostly because some students were still drunk or snoring from hangovers in class. Our teachers found it amusing... sorta.

Then I slept all the way to Barcelona; went to bed early Friday night because we had to meet Saturday morning for the city tour at 8:00am.

BARCELONA: I loved the city! We toured a lot of Goudy's works including the Sangrada Familia (pictured here). This cathedral is the oldest one still being built. Construction started in 1822 and is expected to be completed in 2020. We are all thinking "what on earth is taking them so long, ha." In English, we say something very ornate and decorated is "gaudy" and this word comes from this architect, Goudy. He died without leaving the original blueprints for the cathedral and architects have just interpreted his intentions since. The building has so much symbolism to it. I wish I could post every picture and discuss each detail I observed. It shouts rhetoric of praises and worship with the repetition of "sanctus, sanctus, sanctus" (holy, holy, holy) all over the structure. It's breathtaking. I guess I will have to return to Spain in 2020 for the big celebration.

Lunch in Barcelona was perfect. The fanciest I have had all this time. I had duck that just fell off the bone and tasted phenomenal. We also went to the park where Goudy's famous wind tunnels are featured. And returned to the super-cool-eco-friendly hostel around 6pm, the earliest we've ever ended a day. And of course we all slept for hours!

The beach this morning was perfect. We were able to relax, well, a little. Our group was constantly harassed by the hard-to-make-out words "hello, massage for you? It feel good for you. Want mansaje?" It seemed like hundreds of Asian women swarmed our group to try to sell their services. No one took the offer, despite their persistence. One lady even went so far as to rub the oil-stuff on my forehead as I lay there in the sand. I had to get up so she would quite. It was pretty funny. Also, you know how everyone easily criticizes the Mississippi Gulf Coast for being an "ugly" beach or not a beach at all? Well today made me appreciate our Brackish waters. Barcelona, unless we were just in a bad spot, is characterized by gravel-like brown sand and murky water. There really were not any waves either. I'd take Biloxi over Barcelona any day! :)

I guess it is time to settle back into a routine... but only for 4 days. This week I will go to class and study hard Monday through Thursday, take a test on Thursday, and after class head to Valencia, a beautiful city on the Mediterranean. It's a free travel weekend and a group of us want to do something relaxing, inexpensive, and low-maintenance. The beaches of Valencia will be perfect!

Dad, I thought I would bring home one of these Mediterranean cruisers for you. Which one would you like? ;)

Until tomorrow...

I am in a hostel in Barcelona with the program for the weekend. It is 1:30am and techno music is blarring all around me in the computer room. I have a headache from the chaos. So many story-worthy events have entertained the past 48 hours and I look forward to sharing them. We have a tour of the city tomorrow beginning at 8:00am, so I am headed to bed for now. Maybe after the tour I will write about the fall-out with our Spanish teacher and our all nighter in the 7 story club... times are good!

I am going to climb in bed and read some C.S. Lewis. I crave the deeper conversations and spiritual insight, as well as the peace and quiet with The Divine.

Good night!

Stem-changers and 10pm sunsets...

Has it only been two days? Monday feels like forever ago. Somehow last night I was just too tired to open my computer. The past two days have been interesting and I am feeling more and more comfortable here. There have been frustrations also. And today in class, for the first time since I arrived in Spain, I felt a little tingle of homesickness... but I sucked it up, spoke in Spanish, and decided to feel better. So anyway, the past two days...

Yesterday was all about Madrid. Class was okay. I felt very, very frustrated about the many verb forms I have forgotten since high school. I am in a class with students who have taken 12 hours of college Spanish (I haven't had a class since Fall 2004 in high school) and therefore I am sure I seem incredibly, well, dumb to my professor. I can hang, just need to review those stem-changers! After class we had a few hours for lunch and I talked a group of four friends into being adventurous and just TRYING something new... they have eaten a lot of "McDonald's" in Spain. So they were open and willing despite none of us knowing what we had ordered. We had a small idea... but were actually completely wrong. My meal was the best, I think. I had fresh grilled fish in some yummy wine sauce and boiled potatoes. I was proud of Jordan; she ordered a salad and celebrated the strange ingredients. Tori, bless her, struck out with both courses. The first being nothing like she asked for and dessert being so bad the servers actually brought her a new dish free-of-charge. It is all part of the experience and prevents us from getting too comfortable to learn new things. It ended up being a great lunch, nonetheless. Here, you can see how much our server enjoyed it.

Lunch lasted over 2 hours and we felt like authentic Spaniards... actually, far from it, but we loved the restaurant. We returned to the school for a tour of Madrid that was very much just a stroll through streets trying to figure out the significance of certain objects. Why was everyone taking a picture of that door? The new fresh market impressed me. It is located in a really cool part of the city and (as you can see) has fresh EVERYTHING. Delicious! I mean, if you cooked that fish, I bet it would be delicious. I want a fresh market in Hattiesburg! The fruit stand reminded me of the little boy in Aladdin who almost gets his hand cut off because he steals the fruit from the market. Remember? (Again, Disney movies brought to life.)

Shortly after the fresh market tour, Jordan and I were separated from the group. This moment of "uh oh, where did everyone go?" began a very fun adventure! We ended up in The Plaza Mayor and had a blast! Shopping in Madrid is incredible. I bought my favorite perfume(because I have been wanting to buy some in the states for a while, and here I need it all the more) at a tax free store. I know this means I do not have to pay import expenses when I return to US through customs, but not exactly sure how that works. Jordan and I had frozen lemonade, tried on fun dresses, and really enjoyed the feel of El Plaza Mayor. Apparently, we also found the Easter bunny. The Plaza is full of people dressed in costumes, mostly American images. We saw Superman, an American Indian, Winnie the Pooh, and Mickey Mouse. These characters stand in the street with a jar that says "Photos" and people actually pay to take their picture with someone dressed up! How silly is that? Wait... that's exactly what I did with the bunny. But he let us put on these glasses so it was worth the 30 cents. It was all the festivities of New Orlean's Jackson Square with a fun Spanish twist.

Jordan and I went to the park again last night to exercise and chat. It is still ranking number one as my favorite place. Especially for all of the fun we had today! Immediately after class this morning Tori, Jordan, and Renee (all super cool Southern Miss girls) and I started "park day" by buying yoga mats to lay on. We changed into our swimsuits, picked up lunch, and headed for a 4 hour picnic and tan in the gorgeous park (I still don't know the name of this one. Madrid has many parks.). It was a blast. You know how we, as the good tourists we are, take pictures of all random things? Well, I am pretty sure the locals are equally enthusiastic about photographing the Americans. I am so very much a foreigner.

Class was amusing today. Since it is our 3rd day of class, none is adjusted to the schedule yet. It was hump day today, right? The exhaustion, lack of sleep, and strange schedule has everyone sleepwalking through school. Today no one spoke very much and several times my maestra stopped the lesson to ask what was wrong with us. She now thinks she is incredibly boring (not true) and that none of us care about the class (false again). I explained the issue to her after class and she laughed and told me to stop drinking so much alcohol at night. What? No ma'am, jet lag not hangover. Ah! Language barriers and college student stereotypes. Besides, the only alcohol I've had is at 2:00 in the afternoon and it's cheap weak wine mixed with orange soda, ha!

My frustrations center around my living situation. I think I am getting played like a fiddle. I may have to explain more later as I think Dr. Sanchez wants to intervene. Everything is fine. I have everything I need. Just a strange "host home" situation. (I'm afraid I will find every expression of "host" and "home" strange after my sweet South has set standards so high.)

But all is well. Tomorrow we will explore The Prado Museum and Friday we leave for Barcelona. ... Oh my goodness, I just had the most intense craving for a bowl of milk and cereal. Yup, I miss the refrigerator and pantry, ha.

I miss much more than that. (Most things start with "m".) I am going to sleep now because tomorrow will undoubtedly be another adventure. Tomorrow I have exactly 40 days remaining... I will make the most of them. Promise.

"The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you." Number 6:24-25

Classroom challenges

Well, I made it to class in plenty of time today. The morning was smooth... actually, we blew a circuit and dressed without lights or electricity because drying and straightening our hair is just as important as wearing a shirt. No, it is. Really. ;)

I walked to school by myself today and had no problem finding the building. It was a great walk. The temperature here could not be better. That cool breeze that always parades into south Mississippi to announce that heat is leaving is constant here. Parents all walk their children hand in hand to school and it is very precious. The peaceful walk (I mean, as long as you don't get hit by a car) is a great way to start one's day.

School was fun. We speak in Spanish the entire time; no English is allowed at all. So if we do not know what a certain word means, we have to explain it to each other in Spanish or the teacher has to tell us other words in Spanish that we can understand. It is difficult, but considering my fascination with words, it is very, very fun! For example: The teacher is using the spanish word "cortes" and you do not know that it means "courteous," you would rely on a classmate who could describe courteous behavior to you (in Spanish) and hope that you understand. It's a trip. I am in class from 9:30am to 1:30pm with a 20 minute break (and I am sure I will grab un cafe con leche cada dia durante de estes minutos). The class is tiny, only 9 students and I am SO thankful for that! I wish all foreign language classes could be that personal. We will learn much more efficiently.

We walked home from class and were super sleepy/grumpy/hungry but wanted to find our apartment to put our books away and then find lunch. Somehow I got the group really, really lost and we wandered in a circle for TWO HOURS. I have 3 canyons of blisters on my feet. Ouch.

After lunch and a little shopping, we rested. Then Jordan and I went to the amazing park (so far, the most incredible spot in Spain to me) and I had a good run. It is so lively and romantic! The sun was setting over the city and the park is at the highest point... I will take my camera another day and try to capture it. Exercising will be no problem. I do wish I could walk someone's dog while I am here. I think there are more dogs in the park than people and I feel left out.

Tomorrow we have a tour of Madrid after class. It will be a long day with a lot of walking and lots of pictures. Ah! So much excitement to embrace. This weekend is an 8 hour bus trip to Barcelona and I am really looking forward to it!

My brain hurts. Literally. Like, not a headache. No, a brainache from constantly switching from Spanish to English. I have no doubt that the quality of writing demonstrated on these blogs is steadily decreasing as I am struggling now for coherence in two languages. English is language difficult. (Kind of how I talk, ha.)

Mom, isn't there some kind of word bank in early childhood language development that indicates how many words a day a child can learn? Overload= mush.

I am safe, not spending very much money (it is only the third day), and learning Spanish. And I AM IN SPAIN! But most exciting of all tonight... I am going to sleep somewhat early. Que fantastico!

I love you all...

Buena noche.

Amapolas son rojas

I predicted that traveling abroad for just one day would be sensory overload for me. I try to "take it all in" and I'm going to explode because I am learning so much and fascinated by the simplest things. Let me offer the highlights of today's experience getting to and in Toledo.

MORNING
So this morning, our plan was to meet downstairs at 9am because we were not exactly sure how to find the school and had to gather by 10am. Melissa Lang planned to leave her apartment in Alcala at 8am to ride the metro to meet us. I set my alarm for 12:45am (because I am using my phone from home and the clock never changed). I wake up at 2:30am... that means I woke up half an hour after I intended to leave. Oops. Both of my roommates were still asleep, and freaked out when I woke them up. I was out the door in 4 minutes... and only to stand in the street thinking, "Ha ha. Why did I rush when I have no clue where to go?". I have no phone. No stores are open to call Melissa and tell her not to hate me. She is wandering around Madrid with no internet for me to message her. Our host mom will not allow us to use her phone to call the school, our directors, or Melissa (I thought exactly what you are thinking right now), and I have no idea how to get to the school. Long story short, we take the metro to what our best guess of the school's location is to miraculously find Melissa walking the street! She had gotten a police escort to the school! Yes, Melissa Lang had two Madrid policemen drive her around town until they found the school, of which she did not even know the name. Really, Lang? Congratulations.
We made it just in time to jump on the bus. It was a great start to an awesome second day in Madrid.

TOLEDO
...breathtaking. We first visited the remains of a Roman circus. Yes, my hands touched the "concrete" Romans invented. My feet walked the path of the chariots that raced twenty centuries ago. I saw real Roman aquaducts that brilliantly irrigated new vegetation in a dry region, before the time of Christ. I wanted to blink and open my eyes to see that place thousands of years ago. I also really wanted to go home and watch Gladiator.

The city of Toledo is surround by the Tajo (?) river. The river is a protective barrier and at the end of each bridge across the river stand massive gates to the city. I think these are SO cool! People entering the city to sell goods were stopped by these doors to pay a tax to enter. Doors to the city were also shut in times when disease plagued the area. The gate contains several consecutive arches, each crafted from very different architect and design than the one before it. This "building on top of the same thing" occured when one people group claimed control of the city. They built their signature arches in front of the previous one. The gate began with classic Roman arches with a keystone, then elaborate Gothic arches, then horseshoe type Arabic arches, and Roman arches again. Bricks and mortar tell great stories.

Toledo is where Don Quixote's story begins. Cervantes, although Toledo is not his birthtown, is very significant to the city.
Toledo IS famous for its swords, as I had said... and swords are everywhere! Mom, I bought you one (kidding). They are also famous for their "damasquino" design which is a very ornate black and gold jewelry design. The world's best olive oil is said to come from Toledo. I fell in love with the cobblestone streets that completely brought to life tons of Disney movies and Spanish paintings I have seen.
I also learned in Toledo (whose original name was Toletum... Greek work but evolved to Toledo as Western influence strengthened) that all words in the Spanish language beginning with "al" are arabic words... and there are so many of them. It makes sense. The two languages are much more similar than I thought.

LUNCH
Jackpot! Many Spanish cafes feature "el menu del dia" which is basically a three course meal for a set price with a few choices of each course. For only 11 euros (about $16) I enjoyed agua mineral (bottled water), vino de verano (literally translates "wine of the summer" because it is a fruity red wine mixed with something like Fanta soda), bread and olive oil, jamon y melon (cured ham and melons, not my favorite), pescada y papas (grilled fish and these little potato cuts, delicious!), and flan for dessert. It was SO much food (Spaniard's large meal is lunch) and a lower price than most places. Oh, it was so delicious and left me in much need of a siesta. The vino de verano is an odd combination; I find red wine and soda to be at opposite ends of the beverage scale of luxury. Yet it is a brilliant mix.

THOUGHTS
I feel comfortable here.
I LOVE the Spanish language.
I continue to find The Divine in such simple things. I felt God today in poppies (the red flowers that paint the hills of Spain... and the ones you can smoke Opium from. Oh, but that's not how I felt Him, ha.), in ancient cobble stone paths, in gorgeous buildings, bus rides, and even a chaotic morning. I do believe His Kingdom is today and exists far beyond the walls of any church building, but rather in our love for one another and His creation.
My love for food is universal.
My love for dogs (especially chocolate labs) is universal. (This is Tristan whom I met today.)
There is a fabulous park next to our perfectly placed apartment where I will run tomorrow after class. Lots of dogs, children, fountains, and runners. It's perfect.

Didn't I have a sweet day? Class begins in the morning, in a few short hours actually, and I am thrilled. I hope these six weeks pass at the perfect pace. I feel amazed, intrigued, welcome, capable, and most of all, I am overwhelmed with God's sovereign presence and blessings. I am thankful to be here and hope to "ride all the rides."

I did not have my camera today so Melissa Lang was my photographer. Thank you, Muhlang.

And I am sorry, and impressed, if you actually just sat through my random thoughts and my recount of what I had for lunch. :)

Peace be with you...

Off to a sweet start...

Tonight, after a much needed nap, Melissa and I went to el centro de commercial (mall, if I spelled it correctly) to find towels. We were unsuccessful, but I did find some inexpensive mascara and all that is caputured in this delicious photo. Que delicioso!

I am finding that on top of the terrible exchange rate, merchandise is still quite expensive. I look at the price tag (in euros, of course) and think, "Geez, I wouldn't pay that in the US!" and then I remember that I multiply it by 1.46... and then I walk out of the store. Mom and dad, thanks for that.

Dinner was great tonight. A greek-like salad, bread, chicken and rice, and melons (OMG, I LOVE MELON!!!). I also snatched the oranges my roommates did not eat to keep in my room for a snack (hey- that's better than stashing snickers in my closet).

We are hanging low tonight, resting from travel and happy to be comfortable and together. Tomorrow we have an excursion to Toledo (that's where the swords from Lord of the Rings were made... okay, probably something more significant about that city but that's all I know tonight). It'll be an adventure!

I LOVE the coffee here. I put almost an entire cup of milk in my espresso, as any good American would, and it's delicious.

On the way home tonight a lady stopped me and asked for directions (in Spanish) and I was able to direct her to a place I had just been. I felt pretty cool. Then I tripped over the sidewalk ledge and felt as though there was an American flag draped across my face as a warning that I'm pretty new here. I'm learning to talk my way around the city. Maybe next week I can learn to walk as well.

Buenos noches!

¡Estoy en España!

We finally made it! The flight from Miami to Madrid was not too bad. I slept off and on. The plane was very big and I watched movies the whole time on the screen in the seat back in front of me. (I am already converting what I type from Spanish to English in my mind... I bet I will return with even poorer English!) Before we could exit the plane, we had to fill out forms for swine flu information. I kept a copy and thought ``I´ll scrapbook that!´´

I had a wonderful surprise waiting on my at the airport! Melissa Lang was there to greet me. She rode the train about 25 minutes from Alcala where her apartment is located. I almost cried I was so happy to see her. We took pictures and I will upload them later this evening. She has followed me to my host home orientation and everything. It´s great to have her along. Especially when it came to meeting my host mother...

Her name is Tania (prononced tan-nya) and she seems awesome. OMG... there will be ELEVEN students living in our home. It is more like a hostel. But she is so sweet. She places breakfast on the table every morning at 7am and does not mind if we do not eat until 9am (kind of like a continental breakfast) and buys fresh ingredients everyday to make dinner with at 8pm each evening. AND she does our laundry for us every Saturday and irons on Sunday! I have a room to myself until Tuesday when another student from Texas will be next to me in the other double bed. Tori Martin and Jordan Hahn are also in my home, both KDs from Southern Miss. Tania is actually from Brazil and says that she makes ``Àmerican coffee´´ every morning. She speaks no English! The men and women have separate bathrooms... but I do need to purchase towels.

Tori, Jordan, Melissa and I are using a Locutorio right now. It´s 50 cents for 25 minutes of internet use and it is only 100 yards from our house. However, this afternoon we will get an internet code from the school to use my laptop in our home. I should be able to upload pictures, make new posts and respond to email daily, as long as I am not traveling.

The city is gorgeous and easy (so far) to navigate. I think I will have the time of my life... but certainly be ready to come home June 29th.

Muchos abrazos,

Cirino

One day to take off...

Although I'm off to a slow start, I have a few things remaining to knock out before I depart for Spain in the morning. I am feeling both sad to leave friends here, and super excited for the experience I'll have over the next 6 weeks. I spent time with Michael's family yesterday and we'll cook out with my parents tonight. I am thankful for the quality time with them.

Because I had not yet received my passport, last Friday, my mother and I headed to New Orleans for my appointment with the passport agency. But of course, when I was just minutes away from CBD, I get an email saying my passport is in the mail on its way to Hattiesburg. Ironic, yes, but it meant I saved the $60 fee for picking it up in person and was able to spend quality time, share a great lunch, and shop a little with my mom. I counted it a great day! And my passport finally came in the mail on Tuesday.

I think I am ready to go to Spain now! I bought a fantastic backpack from The Outfitter on Tuesday and Michael gave me a sweet Marmot rain coat. The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain, right? I am thinking "minimalist" as I pack and I have only selected one pair of heels to take! (That's not to say there will only be one pair in my suitcase when I return.) I bought my flight from Madrid to Paris on June 20th so I can connect with Laura for our tour of Italy (what I think will be the most amazing trip ever). I am thankful for this opportunity and can't wait to share stories and photos!

Okay, I have to finish packing and maybe grad lunch at Crescent City just one more time...

Dozer's home!

Although the preceeding week was swamped with final exams and papers, I enjoyed Mother's Day weekend as we got to visit with Daniel, Casey, and Dozer. The week was Daniel's "spring break" so he came to Hattiesburg. We ate way too much at MumMum's on Saturday, but it was well worth it. I'm glad I got to see them before leaving for Spain this Friday!

The first thought...

I took a minute to avoid finishing final papers to create the pages that will record my experiences abroad this summer... I better get back to work.